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Lyme Disease

When I was 9 years old I found a tick on me and it was quite large my mom had pinched it and pulled it off.  We didn't know it was a tick at that time.  She called the doctor and he said I should be fine it looked like she got the head out.  Now at age 41 I found a tick on my foot and thought it was a piece of dirt.  I was drying off from getting a shower and did not see it when showering.  I immediately called my doctor and went in.  He said it looked like I had gotten the head.  He also said within 2 weeks if I acquired Lyme I would have symptoms like the flu.  Back when I was a child the doctor never told my mom that.  Well, 2 weeks to the day I had pain so bad I could not even walk.  I was also diagnosed by another MD when I was in high school with arthritis.  I am currently on antibiotics.  My MD now had me come in and get a blood test and immeditely started me on antibiotics.  The test came back positive.  My question is could I have acquired Lyme when I was 9 and been misdiagnosed with arthritis? and also I started suffering from depression about 16 years ago and migraines almost 10?  How can I find out if possible?  I do miss alot of work due to the pain and unability to walk at times from the arthritis.  Please Help me to find out if this all started at age 9?
Thank you,
Kel
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Avatar universal
Thank you for the information.  It was very helpful and I do feel better and I will follow up with my PCP.  Thank you again
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without being able to examine you and obtain a history I can not comment on your current diagnosis of Lyme disease nor recommend treatment. However, I will try to provide you with some information.

It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to determine definitively whether or not the event that occurred when you were 9 years old was Lyme disease. It is certainly possible though, but it can not be confirmed. You may have been infected with Lyme at other stages of your life and thus your blood tests would be positive. However, it can be said that depression and migraine WITHOUT a cause are extremely common, and if in general I saw a patient with depression and migraine, I would more likely think they were primary disorders rather than secondary to prior Lyme disease, even if the patient had a documented history of Lyme disease.

There is in the neurology literature a description of what has been termed "post-Lyme syndrome" or "chronic lyme infection". This issue is very controversial, as to whether or not it even exists. The American Academy of Neurology, which is the formal body that releases information to Neurologists, does recommend that acute Lyme disease be treated with antibiotics, but does not recommend that suspected post-lyme syndrome or chronic lyme disease be with antibiotics because that condition has never inconclusively been proven and treatment in suspected cases has not been shown to be helpful. Therefore, even if theoretically your current migraines, depression, and arthritis are due to remote Lyme disease at the age of 9 (which again is unlikely) treatment with additional antibiotics is not recommended, rather treatment of your symptoms themselves (with medications for migraine, depression, or arthritis) is best.

However on the other hand, treatment of a recent Lyme infection with antibiotics is very important.

Lyme infection has been divided into 3 stages. In primary Lyme infection, meaning when the tick bite first occurs and the infection is transmitted (Lyme is caused by a bacterium called Bartonella burgdoferi), a typical "target" rash appears in more than 90% of people. This is followed by the 2nd stage, flu-like symptoms, aches and pains, and sometimes a diffuse rash. 15% of people will develop neurologic involvement including a meningitis and problems with cranial nerves (such as developing Bell's palsy, or weakness on one side of the face) or peripheral nerves. Arthritis is a later manifestation, and typically affects the large joints (hips, knees, elbows).

Appropriate treatment during early stages is curative in the large majority of patients (>90%) and will in most cases prevent later stages from occurring.

Once infection has occurred, blood tests may remain positive even after treatment. To diagnose Lyme disease of the central nervous system, specific tests on cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the brain and spine).

Close followup with your physician is recommended.

Thank you for using the forum I hope you find this information useful good luck.

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